Is Your Brain Under Threat From Your Modern Lifestyle?

As we age, many of us notice a loss of mental sharpness and think it’s just part of getting older, but aging can’t explain the current epidemic of severe mental deterioration.

The human brain, that most sensitive of organs, is under threat from the modern world.

Our brains are under the influence of an expanding world of new technologies: multichannel television, video games, the internet, WIFI, smart phones, computers – the list goes on and on.

Electronic devices have an impact on the structure and complex biochemistry of our brains which affects our personality and behaviour.

Of course, there are benefits from technical progress – but there are great dangers as well.

The surrounding environment has a huge impact both on the way our brains develop and how that brain is transformed into a unique human mind.

Brain physiology is highly complex and has the power to influence everything we do.

Brain fog, lack of focus, indecision, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and feeling overwhelmed are common signs that your brain is not working as well as it should be.

Modern Lifestyle Effects on The Brain

Chronic stress, diet, sedentary lifestyle, poor sleep and electro magnetic fields (EMF’s) have negative effect on the production of new brain cells, neural connections and brain function.

Our breathing patterns also have profound effects on the brain. Unnoticeable changes in breathing can lead to less oxygen in your brain and reduce brain blood supply by 20-30%.

Researchers from Karolinska University in Sweden revealed that using handsets just before going to bed caused people to take longer to reach deeper stages of sleep. They also spent less time in each of these stages, so interfering with the body’s ability to repair damage suffered during the day.

Electrosmog

We are all increasingly exposed to a combination of low and high frequency electric fields (EF), magnetic fields (MF) and electromagneticfields (EMF) of different signal patterns, intensities and technical applications for varying periods of time, referred to as electrosmog.

The technologies we use today emit electromagnetic radiation that can compromise our health and disturb our environments.

With the advent of wireless devices in recent years, there has been a massive increase in radiofrequency (RF) exposure from wireless devices as well as reports of hypersensitivity and diseases related to electromagnetic field and RF exposure.

The electromagnetic wave spectrum is divided into ionizing radiation (ultraviolet and X-rays) and non-ionizing radiation such as radiofrequency (RF), which includes WiFi, cell phones, and Smart Meters.

The body can collect the signal from these devices and turn it into electric currents just like the antenna of a radio set or a cell phone.

These currents are carried by ions (electrically charged atoms or molecules) flowing through the living tissues and in the blood vessels. When these currents impinge on cell membranes, which are normally electrically charged, they try to vibrate in time with the current.

The blood-brain barrier is a layer of tissue between the blood system and the brain, where the gaps between the cells are sealed, so that no unwanted materials can enter the brain.

Electromagnetic exposure makes this layer leak potentially toxic substances that can cause permanent brain damage. The effects of this are likely to be progressive and lead to early dementia.

Multiple studies link RF exposure with genetic damage, cancer, neurological degeneration and dysfunction, developmental effects, reproductive disorders, immune dysfunction, and electromagnetic hypersensitivity.

Headaches, dizziness, tremors, decreased memory and attention, decreased reaction times, sleep disturbances and visual disruption have been reported as well.

Live a Brain Healthy Life 

DHA, one of the Omega-3 fatty acids, is the primary structural fatty acid in the gray matter of the brain, which promotes communication between brain cells by allowing synapses to remain soft and functional. By helping build myelin sheaths around nerve fibers, DHA facilitates chemical message transmittal. It helps the brain monitor mood and memory as well.

Loss in DHA concentrations in brain cell membranes correlates to a decline in structural and functional integrity of this tissue.   Also, the oxidative damage that comes with age causes a decline in membrane DHA concentrations and with it, cognitive impairment.

The B-complex vitamins work to promote brain by protecting nerve tissue against oxidation, enhancing memory and insulating nerve cells. Your body requires B vitamins to produce many neurotransmitters.

Phosphatidylserine is phospholipid substance that is a major building block for brain membranes. It is proven to boost energetic and electrical activity across the entire brain.

Phosphatidylcholine is found in soy products and lecithin. It is readily converts to acetylcholine, the memory neurotransmitter in the brain.

Omega Brain Plus combines both of these phospholipids with high DHA fish oil extract in a pleasant tasting and easily absorbable liquid.

L-Glutamine is used as an energy source by the brain and is converted into glutamic acid, essential for cerebral function and GABA, an important neurotransmitter.

Mediherb Tissue Regenex contains Ginko biloba and Gotu kola to help increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain and to energize the brain and increases alertness.

Your brain is the greediest organ in your body, with some quite specific dietary requirements. So it is hardly surprising that what you eat can affect how you think.

• Restrict the number of hours spent talking on mobile every day. Turn it off and don’t keep it next to your head while sleeping. When the cellphone signal is held next to the head, brainwaves are altered a full 70% of the time.
• Turn off the WIFI when not in use!
• Get enough sleep (6 to 8 hours a night). Eliminate anything that might interfere with sleep, such as caffeine, alcohol or watching horror movies before bedtime.
• Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet – lean protein, low glycemic, high fiber, green leafy vegetables; and healthy fats that contain omega 3 fatty acids.
• Drink plenty of water to keep yourself well hydrated. Since the brain is 85% water, anything that dehydrates you is bad for the brain, such as alcohol, caffeine, excess salt or not drinking enough fluids.
• Physical Exercise boosts blood flow to the brain, plus it increases chemicals that are important for learning and memory and stimulating the growth of new brain cells. Thirty minutes on most days is all you need.
• Studies have found that focusing on negative thoughts changes the brain in a negative way. Focusing on positive, happy, hopeful thoughts helps both the brain and you work better.
• Practice Deep Breathing Exercises and Mindfulness Meditation.

Our brains are meant to last a lifetime but the assaults of modern lifestyle work against your brain.

We all want a brain that stays healthy when we’re older but we also want a brain that’s working at top speed and efficiency today.

Unless we wake up to the damage that the gadget-filled, pharmaceutically-enhanced 21st century is doing to our brains, we could be walking towards a future of severe cognitive deterioration.

Further reading:

• Boost Your Memory with Blueberries and Reverse Mental Decline
• Mindfulness Meditation – Live In The Moment And Beat Stress
  
• Boost Your Brain Power and Sharpen Your Mind
  

References:

Raji CA, Ho AJ, Parikshak NN, Becker JT, Lopez OL, Kuller LH, Hua X, Leow AD, Toga AW, Thompson PM. Brain structure and obesity, Hum Brain Mapp 2009 Aug 6

Mashevich M, Foldman D, Kesar, et al. Exposure of human peripheral blood lymphocytes to electromagnetic fields associated with cellular phones leads to chromosomal instability. Bioelectromagnetics. 2003; 24: 82-90.

Xu S, Zhou Z, Zhang L, et al. Exposure to 1800 MHZ radiofrequency radiation induces oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA in primary cultured neurons. Brain Research. 2010; 1311: 189-196.

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